


Gently, wordlessly

by noalinnea



Series: Gently, wordlessly [1]
Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit (2012) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-27
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-27 04:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/657868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noalinnea/pseuds/noalinnea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Graham takes Richard home after a long day of work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gently, wordlessly

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts "soft", "surprise"
> 
> Disclaimer: This is pure fiction. The characters in this story share their names with real people, but the words and events are completely made up. They are not intended to be mistaken for fact, and no libel is intended.

He'd had many thoughts about Graham, but what would never have crossed his mind was, that this man would be the most gentle and attentive lover he'd had since his early twenties.

*

After a long day of filming outdoors, with temperatures just above freezing and breaths coming in thick heavy clouds, Richard had had barely enough strength left to ease himself onto a bench, he had practically collapsed onto it, exhaustion weighing down his limbs and leaving him with a strange feeling of numbness while he carefully explored his split lip with the tip of his tongue, still tasting blood.

There had been a hand on his shoulder; steady, warm where the skin of his neck was exposed above his collar; and Richard didn't have to look up to know whose hand it was.

"Hey, you alright?" Graham's voice had been soft, his concern sincere.

Richard had barely mustered the strength for a nod, lifting his eyes to meet the older man's, whose brows furrowed, or Dwalin's brows, still.

"Let's get changed and get you home. You want a ride?"

Again, Richard had only managed a nod, instantly mirrored by Graham who then had proceeded to drag him to his feet.

*

There was a soft hand on his shoulder, and Richard stirred, blinking.

"Where are we?" he asked, his voice sounding hoarse. Had he fallen asleep?

"My place," Graham said quietly, glancing at him out of tired eyes from the driver's seat. "You fell asleep. Come on, I'm making you dinner. You can take a shower and then crash in the other bedroom. "

He wanted to protest, decline the offer, but found that all he could do was to shrug and nod and mutter a "Thanks, Graham."

Graham unlocked the front door and let him step past him into the dark hallway. The place looked nice, Richard thought when the lights came on, bigger than his and with a spectacular view over the surrounding hills through the big patio doors.

"Bathroom's the second door on the right," Graham said while he shrugged out of his jacket and when Richard didn't move, he placed a firm hand between his shoulder blades and gently steered him into the bathroom, placing a towel into his hands.  
"Take a shower, Richard." His voice was as gentle as were his hands, and Richard almost managed a smile when their eyes met in the mirror.

When Graham closed the door behind himself he stood there for a moment, blankly staring at the reflection of his face. He was a mess. There was dried blood on his lip and in his beard and there still was make-up around his eyes that made them look darker, like Thorin's. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the exhaustion wipe away these thoughts, these thoughts about Thorin. Not now. Not after work. Richard, just Richard.

Richard who couldn't get out of his bloody t-shirt because he couldn't lift his bruised shoulder without having to bite back a groan of pain. With clenched teeth he tried five different angles before he gave up. There were tears burning behind his eyes suddenly, he didn't really know where they came from, and was too tired to be bothered, he simply ran a hand over his face and locked his jaws a little tighter when he went to find Graham.

He was in the kitchen, preparing something to eat.

"Can you give me a hand?" He sounded every bit as weary as he felt and Graham's eyes were full of worry when he turned around.

"What happened?" he asked, putting down the knife he had been holding and taking a step towards Richard.

"Nothing, my shoulder- I can't-" He didn't get any further, there were fresh tears when a new wave of exhaustion rippled over him and he couldn't bring himself to care, much less to try and hide them.

"Hey," was all Graham said, his voice soft, and then warm arms were enveloping Richard and pulling him close and the fleece of Graham's jacket was comfortingly soft against his cheek.

"Come on, I'll help you," Graham said after a long moment with only their breaths disturbing the silence and Richard's tears running into Graham's shoulder, and then the warm, steady hand was back between his shoulder blades, directing him towards the bathroom.

Graham got him out of his t-shirt and his breath hitched when his eyes fell onto the marks on Richard's skin.

"Damn, Richard, you're bruised everywhere."

Too tired to try and dissimulate, Richard just nodded, their eyes once more meeting in the mirror. Graham's finger moved out of own accord, carefully tracing a particularly nasty bruise on Richard's shoulder that ran all the way down to his pectoral muscle, while his eyes never left Richard's, and something seemed to shift, suddenly, with Graham's fingers mapping his skin and his breath tickling his shoulder. There was a slight shiver that he couldn't suppress, or a trembling maybe, and Graham's fingers stopped as if caught in the act. The air around them seemed to thicken and Richard's pulse spiked and then he turned around to face Graham who met his eyes, his expression calm, but he, too, was holding his breath, and then Richard just leaned in and kissed him. _Kissed him._

For a moment Graham did not move but when his tongue slid against his lips there was the softest hum of appreciation somewhere deep inside his chest that Richard barely could hear but clearly feel against his own lip, and his hand wrapped around Graham's neck to pull him close and deepen the kiss while Graham's hands tightened around his upper arms, and his tongue pushed against his own.

In desperate need for oxygen Richard finally pulled back and Graham's hand came to rest on his cheek, warm, gentle, but firm.

"Let's get you to bed," he said softly, his fingers trailing over Richard's cheek. "You need to sleep."

Richard's attempt at protesting was stifled with a finger pressed to his lips, silencing him.

"Tomorrow, if you still want."

Richard looked at him for a long moment, unable to move, Graham's finger still pressed against his lips while regret strangely mixed with relief in his chest. Finally, he nodded, long beyond words, and there was the tiniest smile on Graham's face when he ushered him into the spare bedroom and under the covers.

Richard was out cold as soon as his head hit the pillow.

*

When he awoke at dawn he padded over to Graham's room, hesitating in the doorway for a long moment before he proceeded. Quietly, he slipped underneath the covers next to his warm body to sleep for another couple of Sunday hours with his arm wrapped around his waist and his smell encompassing him. He then woke up from soft kisses placed onto his neck and ear and cheek and when he turned his head, he was greeted by questioning eyes, framed by a tentative smile. Wordlessly, he nodded his consent, feeling a smile spread on his face as well, and then Graham's lips were soft against his own, surprisingly soft, and his palms were warm and a little rough against his skin, but his touches were sure, and gentle, so very gentle, carefully avoiding all of his bruises, reluctant to hurt him, and Richard closed his eyes and let himself be swept away. 

There would be room for questions later but right then, Graham's eyes and lips and fingers held all the answers he needed.


End file.
